Before Daylight
by InfinityxInfinity777
Summary: He didn't know what it was that made him open his eyes that night; intuition, fate or maybe just pure luck but when he did it took his breath away, he could have sworn he saw an angel, she looked like an angel to him and it was such a beautiful sight. Nemily pairing, romance story about them trying to come to terms and understand each other and Emily's actions towards him fully.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: ****Beating Heart  
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><p>It wasn't often that it happened but much less rare than one would think. And when it happened those few hours with her by his side was truly a moment he would never forget, even if he tried.<p>

It first happened a warm spring night in April, he could remember it perfectly. How it had just seemed like any other night to him, he'd had a long day of juggling his multi-million company and the many demands of Emily, the thorn in everyone's side or so he liked to joke. And so when the sun had set, he'd drawn the curtains, leaving the window halfway open to let the soft warm breeze and the calming sounds of the glistening ocean and wavering trees send him to a peaceful sleep as he lay down on his luxurious bed and drifted off to sleep.

He didn't know what it was that made him open his eyes that night; intuition, fate or maybe just pure luck but when he did it took his breath away, he could have sworn he saw an angel she looked like an angel to him and it was such a beautiful sight.

Emily was standing right in front of her bedroom door but in the dark blackness, a small illumination from the moon shining through his window and thin curtains she looked different. Well not so much her appearance but her presence it was unearthly.

Staring at her cautiously not knowing how she'd react he took in her beauty, the tragic beauty before him as thoughts and emotions that he just couldn't admit swirled around in his head.

She really did look like an angel tonight with her smooth blond hair flowing down naturally in soft curls shaping her perfectly sculpted face. Tonight her face was stripped of all makeup not that she used much anyway but it created a whole new effect when he looked at her. The muscles in her face no longer looked so defined and it softened her look creating innocence about her and without the black mascara her eyes no longer looked so cold. Her lips still remained a soft rosy pink colour and as he glanced at them he couldn't help but think about how luscious they looked tonight.

Swallowing a lump in his throat he realized just how bad he had it. It was like in the darkness of the night he fell into the illusion that he was safe with him and his thoughts alone and that the darkness would cover him while they spilt out and then swallow them all up by the time morning came so that he could pretend he'd never thought them.

It was in the middle of those thoughts that her striking brown eyes found his dazed blue ones and he held his breath feeling as if he'd been caught red handed doing something he shouldn't. Now that she knew for sure that he was awake he expected her to say something about why she was here or to glare at him and accuse him of staring at her but she didn't say anything. In fact neither her eyes nor face gave away what she was really thinking not that they usually did.

He wanted to speak to her to ask her if she was alright, if she needed something and why she was here but he just couldn't form the words on his lips. He felt like he was in a type of trance and that if he opened his mouth, if he spoke, then that trance would break and she'd disappear and he didn't want that so he followed her cue and remained completely silent.

She just stared back at him, right into his eyes almost as if her deep brown ones could see right through him. It gave him chills but he didn't turn away he remained fixated on her for it was all his eyes could do after she'd trapped him into her allurement. It was her who broke the gaze first when she walked closer towards him. Once again he held his breath wondering what she was going to do when she got to him but he was wrong it wasn't him she was coming to it was the window. Pushing the curtain away so that the soft breeze hit her face she just stood there gazing out at the dark night sky, as she rested one hand on the window ledge.

He looked at her again wondering what she was thinking, wondering what she was really doing. Was she talking to her father? Cursing the stars for bestowing her with such a tragic life? Or wishing upon them to give her a happy future?

He didn't know and he probably never would know but unlike most, that fact didn't bother him because he knew how secretive Emily was and he knew how much she kept to herself and although sometimes he wished that he could know more about what thoughts really swirled around in her head. At that moment he was just thankful that she had trusted him enough to open up to him about as much as she did, especially because he knew how hard that was for her and he didn't take her trust lightly, he honored it.

Gazing at her gazing at the sky his eyes then wandered to her slim body covered in only a white as snow chemise extending to just above her knees. He blushed as he thought about how that loose piece of clothing made her look so graceful as it hugged her body in all the right places. A brief thought flashed into his mind of what Emily would do to him if she ever found out how he was looking at her right then but he pushed those thoughts out of his head quickly because he just couldn't help it she was just too beautiful and with what she was wearing even if he wanted to he wasn't sure if his eyes could be peeled off of her.

And so Nolan took in every part of her slender body from her toned legs to her flat stomach and perfectly shaped breasts. Noticing how her creamy white complexion accentuated her blond hair and brown eyes splendidly. After quite a while she finally drew the curtains and turned around and this time for sure she was coming towards him.

She walked slowly, her footsteps as quiet as silence itself and as she got nearer and nearer Nolan could see her that much clearer. She still looked like an angel to him an angel of justice or retribution fit her perfectly with the strong presence she always held along with her beauty, intelligence, strength and power. Now she was just one step away from him and he could see her so perfectly, more clearly than he ever really had. He could see the tiredness in her composure, the sadness and pain behind her eyes and the hollowness inside of her. It pained him and caused such a tightness in his chest and a tug on his heartstrings as he realized that although she was undeniably beautiful, intelligent, strong and powerful, and although she had the presence of an angel, in reality she was broken and lost and just needed... Well that was the thing if only he knew what would cure her of all her pain.

Reaching out for her, he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze hoping that Emily might find at least a little comfort in that small gesture and although to anyone else by the look on her face they'd assume she hadn't, Nolan knew better for even though it was brief he caught the warmth expressed in her chocolaty brown eyes at his action. Gracefully slipping into his bed, she lay down on the pillow beside him, almost close enough to touch. Knowing how cold she was from just touching her hand he desperately wanted to move closer to her and hold her against his chest, his arms wrapped around her body so that he could warm her up but he didn't dare. So instead he stayed rooted in his spot only inches away from her. Hesitating he slowly reached out for hand again holding onto it, knowing that at least that part of her body would be warm.

As her eyelashes fluttered shut he tried to do the same but he just couldn't he so badly wanted to talk to her, he needed to. Laying down beside him she looked so delicate, so fragile and it pained him to see that but in a way he was also glad that Emily felt as if she could show him this side of her.

Still, he didn't know what to do, he obviously wanted to help her and he felt like talking just might do the trick, especially tonight when all her armor had been stripped down. But on the other hand, ever since she had walked into his room, it kind of felt like she was almost in a trance or something and he was scared that if he talked that trance might break and her armor would go back up in a matter of seconds. With that thought in mind he gave her hand another squeeze glad to find it was no longer cold before closing his eyes.

But with Emily beside him, he couldn't sleep, he didn't know whether it was because of her strong presence, the tingly feeling that shot through his body as he clasped onto her hand or his quickened heartbeat from being so close to her. Either way he didn't mind the sleeplessness for he wanted to hold onto the feeling he felt from Emily for as long as possible. So he listened to the steady breaths of her inhalation and exhalation feeling comfort in those simple sounds.

Until about an hour later when she slowly pulled the covers off of her, letting go of Nolan's hand and walked out of the room, once again without a word. He watched her leave the room, hearing the soft patter of her footsteps as she walked across the hall, down the stairs and through the door.

He got up and watched from his bedroom window, as she walked down his porch steps buttoning up a black coat she must have left on the coat rack as she got into her pristine clean car and drove away, in the direction of her own house.

"I don't understand", Nolan mumbled his voice having finally found himself again as he walked towards the kitchen to get a drink of water. "I don't understand" Nolan said again this time frustration seeping into his voice as he raked his long fingers through his messy hair and let out a big sigh. He didn't understand they were fine... weren't they? She had seemed fine in bed, like she was relaxed and even though she could have at any time she never let go of his hand, surely that had to mean something. He hoped she wasn't uncomfortable he hadn't dared get too close but he was close enough in order for her to feel comfort or so he had thought.

Why did she come if she was going to leave? And what did she want from him? He just didn't understand, it was all too confusing, she was too confusing. Sighing he trudged back upstairs and got into bed, noticing that the spot from Emily was still slightly warm and smelling the lingering smell of Emily's usual scent, Japanese cherry blossoms. Closing his eyes he wandered what the morning would bring, what Emily would be like when he next saw her and whether he'd bring up whatever it was that happened between the two upon meeting.

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><p><strong>Please make sure to commentreview if you're liking this story because depending on the feedback I recieve I might further extend this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer, I Do Not Own Revenge  
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><p><strong>Chapter 2: What Will The Truth Do?<br>**

The next morning Nolan's mind still couldn't stop wandering back to the night before, so wanting some type of clarification to null his mind he had gone over to Emily's house just before 10 am. Like usual her door was unlocked and so he took advantage of that and walked right through before the nerves in his stomach could cause him to hesitate and turn around.

"Emily" he called out as he walked past her living room and towards the kitchen where he thought she'd be.

Walking into the kitchen, two pairs of eyes found his nervous face and he quickly responded " Oh sorry, Em's, I didn't realize you had company".

Emily just looked at Nolan and sighed, as Daniel who's arm was around her waist whispered something into Emily's ear which caused her to smile.

"Good morning Daniel, I wasn't expecting you to be here." Nolan said tensely with a curt nod of the head.

He couldn't help it; all in all Daniel wasn't a bad guy which was amazing considering that he was a full-blooded Grayson. However, seeing him with Emily made him feel nauseated especially because he seemed so in love while she was faking it.

Every time he pulled her in for a hug, kissed her or made her giggle, it irritated him because although it wasn't real love, he still got to do those things with her and despite the fact that it was a fabrication, he still got to experience what it felt like to be with someone that special.

"Well I just can't seem to stay away from her" Daniel replied lightly, either ignoring or not noticing Nolan's tense attitude as he kissed Emily on the cheek.

"What are you doing here Nolan?" Emily asked a hidden irritableness to her rather polite tone due to the fact that Daniel was beside her.

Nolan cleared his throat not knowing what to say. He didn't know what he'd expected when he walked through the door but he hadn't thought that Emily would be her exact same usual self. "Nevermind, I'll just call you when you're not in the middle of something" he said aloofly as he turned to leave.

"Actually, I was just about to leave, my granddad flew in last night, so we're having a family brunch." Daniel replied, causing Nolan to slowly turn back around.

Looking at Emily, Daniel took Emily's hands in his own as he softly said "Are you sure you can't make it, we'd all love for you to be there."

"I'm sorry" Emily said apologetically as she squeezed his hand, "I would love to be there too but I have a meeting that I just can't cancel around that time. Let everyone know I say hello though."

"Of course, and no need to apologize, it was my fault I gave you such short notice." he replied as he leaned into her and gave her a kiss on those luscious lips that Nolan had observed last night. "I'll call you later" he said sweetly as he gave her another kiss this one on the cheek and whispered "Thanks for last night, I had fun."

Last night, what was last night? Nolan thought distressingly, he had thought that last night was him and Emily not Daniel and Emily. Shaking his head as if it would shake all his muddled conflicting thoughts out of his head he waited for Daniel to leave.

"Me too" Emily replied smiling as she walked right past Nolan and led Daniel to the front door. Shutting the door softly behind him, Emily turned to Nolan and rolled her eyes at him as he clapped his hands together and said "Wow, Em's I'd give you an Oscar for that performance."

"What do you want Nolan?" she asked her voice a mixture of annoyance, impatience and tenseness, like usual.

His voice turning serious, he looked at her and said " Do you really have to ask that?"

"If I didn't I wouldn't be asking" she replied irritably.

Nolan narrowed his eyes at her as he tried to control the anger that had so quickly formed inside of him. "Last night, you came to my house, why?"

"I don't know what you are talking about" she said coldly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Nolan looked at her searching for anything to give away her blatant lie but she was too good. She hadn't goten overly defensive or overly denied it, her eye's didn't give away any flash of recognition, she didn't twitch, her voice didn't sound off... the list could go on.

But still Nolan tried again "You came into my bed and slept beside me as I held your hand and then you left just before daylight"

Emily sighed deeply as she coldly said "Nolan, don't talk to me if you can't even distinguish between reality and imagination."

"You're lying!" he shouted angrily as he pointed his finger at her and said "You're doing what you do best, faking it but I'm your friend and I can see straight through you."

Emily looked at him completely unfazed by his little outburst despite the fact that it was the first time he'd really shouted at her. "And what is it that you see through me then?" she said as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Not having an answer he shook his head in frustration and bitterly said "I'm used to you lying to everyone else around you but when you lie to me, it kind of hurts."

"I don't know what you want me to say" she said dismissively.

"The truth!" he replied steadily.

"Why?" she murmured quietly, the coldness in her demeanor having diminished as she looked into his sea blue eyes and questioned him trying to mask the hope she felt within that he knew the answers, "What will the truth do for you? What will it change? What are you hoping the truth will give you?" She questioned relentlessly.

Nolan stared into her eyes so deeply as if she herself held the answer to the question neither of them could figure out. He knew it was there, both of them held the answer deep within but it was just too tangled in a mess of thoughts, feelings and emotions to find its way out to the surface.

"I don't know" he whispered feeling his heart deflate as he unsuccessfully tried to pinpoint exactly what he really wanted from her.

"That's what I thought" she murmured aloofly, and just as quickly as he had seen that women last night, the one stripped down of all her armor, she left and Emily was back to being the strong warrior he was accustomed too. The one he equally loved, admired and feared.

"I have to get to work Nolan" she said as she walked past him to get out her infinity box before setting it on the kitchen table and powering up her laptop.

"Whose fate is getting turned upside down today?" Nolan asked trying to sound back to normal as he put on his shoes ready to leave, but for him it wasn't so easy to switch back to who she was accustomed to as quickly as she had.

He wanted to stay, to help and conspire with the angel of justice but he felt emotionally exhausted and just needed a breath of fresh air and a bit of time alone to process everything so he had decided to leave.

"Wouldn't you love to know?" Emily replied with a smirk on her devious face as she walked towards him from the kitchen.

"Stop hogging all the excitement to yourself, I love a takedown from your revenengenda just as much as you do" Nolan said half teasingly as he opened up the door ready to leave.

"No one loves a takedown more than me" she replied resolutely, " I'll call you later and fill you in, there's something I need you to do."

Nolan nodded his head and then said goodbye before quickly walking to his car and driving home.

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><p><strong>Sorry it took such a long while to update but that was only because I wasn't sure if I was continuing on with it, but now I know for a fact that I am. I hope you liked this second chapter, please review :)<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer, I Do Not Own Revenge  
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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Beating Heart<br>**

After that night and the morning of, days and weeks passed without a word or even implication of whatever had happened that night. Emily was her regular "revengy" self and Nolan was his regular "techy" self and time in the Hampton's passed like it always had.

Whatever Nolan had expected to happen, nothing changed between their relationship, which both relieved him and disappointed him, and it wasn't long before he began to think of that night they'd had together as a dream, it just seemed so far away and out of reach to him now.

But that all changed when one night much like the other, Emily came to him again and caused all those feelings he'd tried to suppress, to rush back to him as he took her cold hand in his and watched her eyelids flutter shut from where he laid next to her on his bed.

But once again that moment was short-lived and it wasn't long, before her eyelids fluttered open right before daylight, revealing her chocolaty brown eyes which refused to look into his as she slipped out of his bed, cascaded down his stairs, and then left him alone in his bed, confused, lost and disappointed.

And thus a beautifully painful cycle began.

It was always during the middle of the night, around two am when Emily would gracefully slip into Nolan's bedroom, her footsteps, soft and silent. He didn't know how he did it but it was like N olancould sense her presence and so he'd always wake up seconds after she got into his room.

He would stare at her, his sea blue eyes, taking in the raw beauty of the women in front of him, with her soft blonde hair accentuated her perfectly sculpted her face, her striking brown eyes that looked into his almost tenderly and her slender body that wore the snow as white chemise so splendidly.

Every time without a doubt, she took his breath away and as she walked closer and closer to him he could always feel his heart beat quickening.

She would slip into bed beside him, close but not close enough so that they were touching, she couldn't bring herself to do that, to relinquish even a little bit of herself to him, not on her own at least, she was too used to being guarded...to being alone.

Nolan could sense that, but he could also sense her need for proximity, and so almost like a sort of compromise, he would take hold of her hand, giving her a small sense of what she wanted, what she craved for, but in a way that wouldn't startle her.

Warming her hands up, he'd watch as her eyelids, hiding the pain and hurt he knew was behind, flutter shut. He would lay there beside her feeling such warmth in his heart as he stared at the women he undoubtedly loved until she woke up an hour and a half later and left.

By the time daylight came, her armor would go back up and once again, Nolan would try to repress those feelings he felt as best as he could, which became increasingly harder the more nights she came to him.

And on the nights she didn't Nolan would lay there alone on his bed, consumed with the thoughts of Emily Thorne and waiting for her to come, hoping for it, until he fell asleep, not to be woken up by a certain blonde-haired, brown-eyed female, for as stated before it wasn't often that she came, and weeks could pass between the encounters, which made it all the more obscure.

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><p>This cycle went on through a wide length of time and gradually with each visit, a little more development was made in terms of proximity between the two. It was during the fifth time that Emily had come into his room and laid down beside him, that instead of taking her hand and inching just a little closer to her like he did the time before, instead Nolan had slowly shifted his body right next to her so that they were finally touching, and then tentatively wrapped his arms around her slender frame<p>

He could remember how he felt so clearly, his heart had been beating so fast like it was on overdrive and his whole body felt flushed.

Emily's eyes had widened in innocent surprise and he could've sworn he heard a small gasp escape her rosy lips but she didn't pull away, in fact before closing her eyes, she had shifted her position ever so slightly, so that her head was resting on his chest.

Nolan had never forgotten what that felt like; with her in his arms he felt such warmth envelop him but also such responsibility. He couldn't explain it but with her in his arms she felt so delicate and he couldn't help but feel such a strong need to protect her... from the cruel world, the Grayson's and even herself.

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><p>Almost a month later when she had come to him again, this time without the same hesitation as before, Nolan had held her in his surprisingly steady arms once again.<p>

All his senses were in overdrive; he could feel her soft skin against his body, smell the Japanese cherry blossom scent that lingered on her skin and hear her steady beating heart against his chest. It was a perfect moment for him and he desperately hoped she felt the same way.

Tentatively touching her soft blond curls, he weaved his fingers through it liking the feel of it between his fingers.

It was at that moment, when he laid there gazing at the most enchanting women hehad ever known, that he realized exactly what it was that he felt for her. And an hour and a half later as she opened her eyes and then left, it was at that moment that Nolan knew he couldn't do it anymore.

And so when he next saw her in the daytime and she pretended that that special moment between them never happened it tore at his heart much more than those times before and he went home that night feeling completely exhausted.

Nolan loved her; he loved the delicate Emily that showed herself to him only occasionally during the night and he loved the angel of justice Emily, the one that fearlessly took down the Grayson's day in and day out. He loved every part of her and he was beginning to understood the intricacy of just how layered she really was and he knew that loving somebody like her was not going to be easy but that didn't matter to him because it was her he loved and he knew that wouldn't change.

Nolan could feel it deep within his soul, this wasn't a simple crush, nonsensical lust or petty affection, this was real, this was indescribable...this was unyielding.

And this love was something he'd have to fight for because heaven knew Emily could be well...Emily.

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><p><strong>I know, I know, I took a terribly long time to update this and I apologize, but it's up and ready now, so I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3 of Before Daylight. Please commentreview, it motivates me to work faster. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer, I Do Not Own Revenge  
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><p><strong>Chapter 4: <span>Confession<span>  
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His heart was beating heavily, pounding vigorously against his chest, as he reached out for her arm, clasping onto it, and whispered one simple word, "Stay".

Not once during the seemingly random nights, she had climbed into his bed had he uttered one word, neither she. From day one it seemed almost like they had a mutual agreement purely formed from understanding that this was supposed to be a silent affair.

But that night he couldn't keep it up anymore, and as he begun to sense that the time with her in bed was coming to an end, he felt a boding sense of doom and fear, not that she wouldn't come back, but that if he couldn't say it now, then he'd never be able to admit his feelings to her and that scared him, especially because the longer he held her in his arms, the more intense the drive to confess was. He had tried, God he had tried, the confession had been fighting and clawing it's way to the surface for weeks upon weeks, but it had never fully gotten out, every time it had always gotten stuck in his throat, suffocating him. But today he was going to force it out, he needed to, and above all else she needed to hear it.

And so before Emily could get out of bed, he reached out for her arm, clasping onto it tightly, but not enough to hurt her.

Thump, Thump, Thump

He could feel his heart beating heavily, pounding vigorously against his chest, it was maddening, but comforting in a way because it confirmed his feelings for her.

He could feel her body tense up beneath his grip, and she slowly turned her head around to face him, Nolan Ross, the man she had trusted enough to relinquish her tired body to.

"Stay" he said steadily, his voice low and gentle, nervous yet strong and above all else, honest.

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><p><strong>I know, I know, it's tiny, but I know it's been a while and I just wanted to get something out. Consider this a sneak peek to the ending, next chapter is going to be the last one.<strong>

**I'm in the midst of writing/editing the last chapter right now so hopefully it won't take too long until I can put it on her for you all to read. **

**Comments are appreciated and a great motivator ;)  
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